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Free guides to help you meet your business goals, whatever your budget.
How do you read financial statements?
- Profit and Loss Categories with a Worked Example: See how a small business P&L is laid out, what goes in each category, and how to read monthly results, with figures from a sample landscaping business.
- Balance Sheet Guide for Small Business Owners: Understand your business balance sheet: what assets, liabilities, and equity mean and what they tell you about your company's financial health.
- Cash Flow Statement Guide for Small Business: Understand your cash flow statement: the difference between cash flow and profit, and what each activity type means for your business.
- Financial Ratios Explained: 23 Ratios With Examples: The 23 financial ratios 2diff Business calculates: the formula in words, what each measures, which statement it reads, and a worked example from sample books.
- Financial Metrics for a Landscaping Business: Which financial metrics matter for a landscaping company, how to read seasonality in monthly revenue, and sample values from a fictional landscaping company.
How do you set up your books?
- Getting Started with Online Accounting Platforms: A plain checklist for setting up an online accounting platform: chart of accounts, bank feeds, and the first reports to read.
- Chart of Accounts: What It Is and Why It Matters: Learn what a chart of accounts is, how it organizes your financial data, and why it matters for accurate reporting.
- Small Business Finance Glossary: Plain definitions of small business finance terms, from accounts payable to working capital, each linked to the guide that explains it in more depth.
How do you plan your cash and value your business?
- 13-Week Cash Flow Forecast: Method and Sample: Build a 13-week cash flow forecast: starting cash, weekly receipts and payments, a worked example for a fictional landscaping company, and a sample CSV.
- Business Valuation: SDE and EBITDA Multiples: How SDE and EBITDA multiples turn a year of earnings into a planning estimate of business value, with a worked example on a fictional landscaping company.
How do you use 2diff Business?
The blogs
- Small business finance blog: Insights, guides, and tips on financial analytics, small business management, and data-driven decision making from Second Difference Solutions.
- Economics and markets blog: Charts of inflation, rates, jobs and energy from public data.
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, accounting, or legal advice. Consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. AI-generated insights may contain errors; verify information before taking action.